Over the last month and a half I have lowered my phosphates from .78ppm to .28ppm
These are my parameters. Corals are doing overall better now that I lowered phosphates, but I’m struggling to keep calcium lower, and nitrates maybe just a little higher. Any recommendations?
I’ve been doing about 12-14% water changes weekly. Should I hold back and not do a water change???
8-4-25
Salinity: 1.026/ 35.3
Ph: 8.13
Magnesium: 1410 ppm
Calcium Hanna: 525
Nitrate: 2.3 ppm
Phosphate: .28 ppm
Alkalinity: 9.5
Comments
Sign in to leave a comment
No comments yet
Be the first to start the conversation.
@AlertHarpoon50
254d
Nice checker! Your coral colors look good. I wish my nitrates were that low lol. How do you keep em up?
@Brave_Cove_54
254d
Thanks! Since I noticed phosphates high and corals unhappy and my Kenya trees melting, I order myself those Hanna checkers. Ever since a month and a half I’ve been doing weekly water changes including a couple large ones the first two weekends. Since then phosphates are coming down and nitrates dropped from being around 8-9 to now being 2-3ppm.
@chaelynn
254d
Expensive little checker you have there!!looks great
@Brave_Cove_54
254d
They’re worth it, easier to get a value rather then look at color trying to guess which one it’s at. Lol
@chaelynn
254d
I agree I might just invest in a few
@billy
254d
Hannah Checkers for Alkalinity/Phosphate and Nitrate and then Salifert for Calcium and Magnesium is what i would recommend.
@Brave_Cove_54
254d
I agree!!
@BristleWormHater
253d
If your corals are happy I wouldnt worry about it. Could be higher due to less skeleton building corals. I may be wrong but I see 2 Duncans, 2 hammers and an acan. So that's not a lot corals using up calcium, check your salt mix levels and consider switching to something with lower calcium to meet your tanks lower requirements. Or add more stony corals 😉
Sign in to join the conversation.
Nice job dialing in those phosphates and keeping track of everything with the Hanna Checker! If your corals are looking happier maybe try easing up a bit on water changes to see if nitrates can bump up a little. Calcium should come down naturally with less water change too. Your parameters look solid overall!
Thanks for the feedback!